Hurricane Melissa, which is stronger than Hurricane Katrina, is set to bring catastrophic winds, flash flooding and high storm surges to the island of Jamaica.

When Melissa departs the Caribbean later next week, it may contribute to stormy conditions along much of the United States East Coast with a new round of rough surf and beach erosion in some areas.

The prime minister ordered mandatory evacuations as officials braced for tens of thousands to be displaced. Three people were killed and 13 others injured during preparations for the storm, the health minister said.

The system is expected to move through an area of concern in the Atlantic before turning north, away from the islands. If the system strengthens into a tropical storm, it will take the next name on the 2025 Atlantic hurricane list: Jerry, followed by Karen.

Forecasters say another tropical system may develop in the next few days and could pose a threat to the southeastern United States.

The hurricane weakened to a Category 3 after carving a path of destruction across Jamaica. Limited communications there have left officials with only partial reports as they seek to assess the scale of the damage.